Quote:
Originally Posted by ColMike
The ICAO standard accepted for the gravitational constant is 32.1742 which gives 450,437.4. Speer uses this standard number for acceleration due to gravity. Although several online sources use the alternate value, I can not find a 'why' to the use of it.
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Because of the different centrifugal force, the gravity at the equator is smaller than that at the poles. So the precise gravitational acceleration is a function of latitude. They just took the gravitational acceleration at 45° Latitude (halfway between the poles and the equator) as the standard. Paris is at 48.86°, New York City is at 40.67°.
Poles: 32.26 ft/s˛
Equator: 32.09 ft/s˛
45° Latitude: 32.17 ft/s˛